


I'm Good To Go For Something Golden

by novilunar



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Birthday, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-12
Updated: 2015-02-12
Packaged: 2018-03-12 02:34:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3340358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/novilunar/pseuds/novilunar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sehun had no idea his crush knew so much about Korean traditions</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'm Good To Go For Something Golden

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ho_sehun](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ho_sehun/gifts).



Sehun's 20th birthday starts with him groaning as Jongin pulls open the blinds in his room, flooding it with light.

“Rise and shine,” Jongin says and Sehun pulls up the covers over his eyes.

”Let me sleep, it's my birthday.”

Jongin yanks the cover off Sehun. ”This is my birthday present – helping you not be late for class.”

”Such a good friend,” Sehun mutters as he drags himself out of bed, blinking the sleep out of his eyes as he shuffles to the bathroom.

He can smell food, something which isn't that common in their apartment considering neither of them have the skill nor the energy it takes to cook in the morning. Most of the time they just end up in class with a sandwich and a Red Bull from the school cafeteria.

After dousing his face in cold water as a final attempt to make himself feel less like a zombie, Sehun joins Jongin in the kitchen where a full breakfast is laid out. 

Sehun raises his eyebrows. ”There's no way you cooked this.”

Jongin looks affronted. ”I did!” He pauses for a second. ”Kyungsoo helped me.” 

”Of course he did,” Sehun sighs, taking a seat and helping himself to the food. He sincerely doubts Jongin’s cooking skills but if Kyungsoo helped it can’t be too bad. ”My birthday wish is for you to stop talking about Kyungsoo with hearts in your eyes and instead grow some balls and ask him out.”

“You're one to talk.”

“What's that supposed to mean?” Sehun says through a mouthful of rice.

“You know exactly what it means. You keep talking about Huang Zitao like he's some sort of male god but you haven't even _talked_ to him, have you?”

Sehun refuses to blush as he shoves more food into his mouth. He _may_ have let it slip to Jongin just how hot this one guy in his English class is, how perfect his muscles are and how amazing his hair looks and how dangerous he looks but how he also has pencils with little animals on them and when he smiles his whole face lights up. “I have so talked to him,” Sehun says and Jongin snorts.

“What, did you ask him if you could borrow his pencil?”

“No!” Sehun says, but his voice quickly weakens. “I asked him if he knew what time it was. He pointed at the clock.”

There’s a burst of laughter from Jongin. “Wow, I can't believe I'm not taking romantic advice from you, you're a regular Don Juan. At least I've been alone in a room with Kyungsoo.”

“I could totally talk to Tao if I wanted to,” Sehun insists, ignoring how tongue-tied he tends to get around the other boy. “There just hasn't been a good moment yet.”

Jongin suddenly grins and Sehun doesn't like the look of it. “There's about to be. I invited him to your party tonight.”

Sehun's chopsticks clatter on the table when he drops them. “You did what?!”

“Come on Sehun, you're never gonna talk to him otherwise. Besides, he seemed excited to go.”

“Really?” Sehun knows Jongin wouldn't lie about something like that, so he can’t help the little flame of hope that ignites in his chest.

Jongin nods, just as the sound of their doorbell rings out.

“Someone's coming over?” Sehun asks and Jongin shrugs, getting up to answer.

Sehun stays in the kitchen, scarfing down as much food as he can before Jongin comes back. It may not be as good as Kyungsoo's cooking but it's surprisingly edible. While he eats he wonders why Tao would be excited to come when he probably doesn’t even know Sehun’s name considering how little they’ve talked, but his thoughts are interrupted by Jongin’s return, his roommate holding a bouquet and extending it towards Sehun. “It's for you, birthday boy.”

“You got me flowers?” Sehun says, taking the bouquet from Jongin with a puzzled expression.

“Of course I didn't. Look, there's a card.” Jongin points at something nestled in between the stalks.

Sehun plucks the card out of the bouquet, a small, cute card with cartoon pandas all over it. There's a birthday greeting written on it, but Sehun doesn't recognize the handwriting and there's no name anywhere. He shrugs at Jongin's inquiring look. “No idea who this is from.”

“Well, at least someone out there wishes you a happy birthday.” Jongin says, rifling through their cupboards to see if there's something that could pass for a vase. He fishes out a wine bottle with a broken neck from the last time they hosted a party, shrugs and fills it with water.

Sehun flips the card over in his hands, staring at it to try and find some clue to the sender's identity but all he finds are more pandas staring up at him with their big cartoon eyes.

 

-

 

“This is a terrible idea,” Sehun says as he checks his reflection for the fourteenth time that evening, desperately trying to keep his nerves in check.

“This is a great idea,” Jongin corrects him. “You look totally hot in that shirt, Tao won't stand a chance. Unless he's not into broad-shouldered twinks.”

Sehun sighs exasperatedly, dragging a hand through his hair and wincing as his fingers get sticky with gel. “You're not helping, Jongin.”

Jongin forces Sehun to sit down on his bed before dragging a comb through his hair to fix the mess Sehun's fingers made. “Come on man, you're an adult now. Be cool.”

“I hate you,” Sehun mutters. “I can't believe you invited Tao. I'm gonna get you drunk and make you embarrass yourself in front of Kyungsoo.”

Jongin gasps, clutching the comb. “You _wouldn't_. I'm giving you the chance of a lifetime to go get some fine Chinese ass here. Is this how you repay your best friend?”

“Yeah fine, I wouldn't,” Sehun mutters. “He's just so _hot_. I don't know what to do.”

“Just be yourself!” Jongin slaps Sehun on the back encouragingly. “But like a hotter, better, more smooth-talking version of yourself.”

“Thanks for the advice,” Sehun bites out, already envisioning all the horrible ways this evening could go wrong.

 

-

 

It's even worse than Sehun thought. Tao shows up in a thin shirt that shows off his biceps and a pair of jeans that makes his ass look _amazing_ , hair styled to look effortlessly cool and silver jewelry in his ears that turns Sehun's mind to the dangerous path of wondering where else he might have piercings.

Nothing about Sehun's situation is helped by the fact that Tao's face breaks out into a smile as soon as he spots Sehun, softening his sharp, kohl-lined eyes and making him almost seem approachable as he makes his way across the room. Sehun is definitely not drunk enough for this and Jongin, the traitor, just grins at him and pulls Chanyeol away, leaving Sehun alone with Tao.

“Happy birthday,” Tao says, handing Sehun a black box with a white ribbon and looking at him with anticipation.

Sehun stares at the box in his hand, really not expecting this. “Thanks, you really didn't have to-”

“Go on, open it!”

Sehun swallows hard, trying to ignore that it's the first time they've had a proper conversation and yet Tao has brought him a birthday gift, seemingly eager to watch him open it. He pulls on the ribbon and it falls apart quickly, making it easy for Sehun to open the box. He's rather relieved, struggling with something as basic as opening a present isn't something Sehun would usually do, but with Tao standing so close and looking at him with obvious interest Sehun feels his hands tremble slightly and he really hopes Tao doesn't notice.

Lifting the lid, he pulls out a dark, elegant bottle with a brand logo embossed on the front. It looks expensive. “Perfume?”

Tao nods and Sehun thanks him distractedly. Tao isn't even Korean, there's no reason for him to know about that coming-of-age tradition – yet Sehun's heart insists on racing. Returning to his senses, he thanks Tao more genuinely, but the boy's presence is turning Sehun's mind annoyingly blank, not a hint of the smooth-talking, hot version of himself that Jongin had advised him to be there as he clutches the perfume nervously, almost breathing a sigh of relief as the lights suddenly turn off and shroud them in darkness. 

Jongin's and Chanyeol's off-key singing fills the room and their other friends soon join in as the duo carries out a cake covered in candles and sparklers that Sehun is fairly sure are not at all safe to have inside an apartment filled with people, but at this point he's more relieved about not having to stand awkwardly silent next to Tao than he is concerned about fire hazards. 

The cake is set on the living room table and the song dies down at the same time as the sparklers fizz out, leaving only the lit candles to bathe the living room in a warm glow.

“Come on man, make a wish!” Chanyeol hollers and Sehun looks up. He can’t help but glance at Tao who looks more alluring than ever in the partial darkness with the flickering light of the candles playing over his ethereal face, making Sehun feel like there's no one else in the room when Tao’s gaze locks onto his. 

Sehun knows exactly what he wants as he takes a deep breath and blows out every single candle on his cake.

 

-

 

Taking a break from socializing Sehun escapes the living room in search of a cold beer, stashing his empty bottle on the counter top together with the rest.

“Hey,” a soft voice says behind him and Sehun takes a breath before turning around, coming face to face with Tao. “Happy birthday again.” Tao's mouth is curved up in that gentle smile that makes Sehun's heart leap and he's still not sure if he's drunk enough for this. The sounds from the living room are muffled and Sehun is hyperaware of Tao’s presence, the two of them alone in the room.

“Thanks,” Sehun says, hoping he's not blushing.

“Did you get my flowers?” Tao cocks his head slightly, feline eyes staring intently into Sehun's.

“Flowers?” Sehun's gaze is drawn to the bouquet in their make-shift vase and suddenly puzzle pieces are falling together in a way that just doesn't make sense. “Those were yours?”

“Yeah, did you like them?”

“I did,” Sehun says. “I liked the perfume too.” 

Tao's smile widens, turning predatory as he moves closer and rests his hands on the counter, trapping Sehun between his arms. Sehun can feel the heat of Tao's body and the sudden lack of distance is making his mouth go dry.

“Good. That means there's only one present left.”

Sehun starts feeling dizzy and he doesn't know whether it's the alcohol or the fact that Tao's mouth is on his and _oh_ -

Kissing Tao isn't at all like Sehun imagined it would be. It's a thousand times better, Tao pulling him closer with a steady hand on Sehun's neck as their lips move together. Sehun can't help but reach out to touch Tao, one hand resting on Tao's hip while the other finds Tao's arm. It's with great delight that Sehun notices that Tao's biceps feel just as good as Sehun thought they would, flexing under Sehun's hand as Tao draws him even closer with a hand on the small of his back, kissing him deeper.

Tao's mouth is warm and inviting and Sehun can't seem to get enough of it. He's kissed before but it's never been this addicting and exhilarating, making Sehun feel like he could stay in this kiss forever. He loses track of time but when Tao pulls back at last he has to draw a deep breath, lungs completely depleted of oxygen. His hands are still on Tao, reluctant to let go, head still reeling from the kiss.

“I've seen you watching me in class,” Tao says and Sehun feels a sudden wave of mortification break through the lingering pleasure of the kiss. “You're cute. I was hoping you'd ask me out, but then I figured I better take matters into my own hands.”

“Cute?” Sehun repeats, dumbfounded.

“Adorable,” Tao coos. “Will you let me take you out on a date?”

Sehun blanches. Tao just asked _him_ out? Hesitantly he answers, “Will there be kissing?”

Tao smirks at him, the hand he has on Sehun's neck tightening as he runs a thumb across the skin, making Sehun shudder. “If you want there to be.”

“I do,” Sehun says quickly. “I definitely do.”


End file.
